Piland earns UH's starting QB gig; O'Korn to play in opener

By Joseph Duarte |
August 23, 2013
| Updated: August 23, 2013 6:53pm

Two-year starter David Piland will be under center come the Cougars' opener August 30 against Southern.

Photo By Smiley N. Pool/Houston Chronicle

Tony Levine leads the Cougars into their first season in the American Athletic Conference.

Photo By Bob Levey

Aug. 30 - Southern at Reliant Stadium at 7:30 p.m.

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Sept. 7 - Temple at Philadelphia, PA at 11 a.m.

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Sept. 21 - Rice at Reliant Stadium at 2 p.m.

Photo By Robin Zielinski/Associated Press

Sept. 28 - UTSA at San Antonio. Time - TBA

Photo By Nick de la Torre/Houston Chronicle

Oct. 12 - Memphis at BBVA Compass Stadium at 11 a.m.

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Oct. 19 - BYU at Reliant Stadium. Time - TBA

Photo By Brian Blanco/Associated Press

Oct. 26 - Rutgers at Piscataway, N.J. Time - TBA

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Oct. 31 - USF at Reliant Stadium at 6 p.m.

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Nov. 9 - UCF at Orlando, FL. Time - TBA

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Nov. 16 - Louisville at Louisville, KY. Time - TBA

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Nov. 23 - Cincinnati at Rice Stadium. Time - TBA

Photo By Eric Christian Smith/For the Chronicle

Nov. 29 - SMU at Reliant Stadium. Time - TBA

Houston coach Tony Levine said Friday night that junior David Piland will begin the season as the Cougars' starting quarterback.

Piland, who started 10 games for the Cougars last season, was in a five-way competition for the starting job in preseason camp with sophomore Bram Kohlhausen, junior college transfer Billy Cosh and true freshmen John O'Korn and Greg Ward in preseason camp.

O'Korn, the highly touted quarterback from Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas, will be the backup to begin the season, Levine said.

Both will play in the Aug. 30 season opener against Southern.

Last season, Piland threw for 2,929 yards with 16 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Piland was limited late in the season by head and leg injuries.

As a true freshman in 2010, Piland was forced into the starting job when Case Keenum and backup Cotton Turner suffered season-ending injuries.

Piland finished the season completing 58.3 percent of his passes for 2,641 yards with 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

In two seasons, the Cougars are 6-12 with Piland as the starter.

O'Korn led St. Thomas Aquinas to the Florida Class 7A state title as a senior, throwing for 2,552 yards with 22 touchdowns and only four interceptions. He also ran for nearly 600 yards and 15 touchdowns.